


Two boys on a mission

by Ely_Pines



Series: The Ultimate Voltron S8 AU [8]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Klance - freeform, Langst, M/M, Whumptober 2018
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-29
Updated: 2018-10-29
Packaged: 2019-08-09 18:41:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16455257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ely_Pines/pseuds/Ely_Pines
Summary: The Paladins go on a mission but Lance and Keith fell into a trap.Prompt day 27: "I can't walk."





	Two boys on a mission

Saturn wasn’t far away from the Earth - especially when you had travelled across the entire Universe for the last months and even years. It wasn’t either a one-minute trip, though, so what made it feel like an eternity was due to the heavy silence in the five Lions. And Lance thought it was kind of his fault.

In the end, Keith didn’t go with his mother and Kolivan. Krolia had spent the week gathering intel on Goraz and discovered the Galra warlord could be stronger than they thought - which meant more dangerous. Thus, she forbade Keith to come along because a) she didn’t want to put him in such danger, not when his body had barely healed and b) if Goraz was half the deal he seemed to be, Voltron better be ready and on Earth (and everyone knew they couldn’t form Voltron without Keith). Keith sulked for the entire afternoon but was ready when the Paladins’ own mission ought to start.

Allura gave frequent glances toward Lance, through their screens. Lance glanced back at her, his lips pressed together. He hadn’t talked to Keith, not since the briefing in the Cafeteria and maybe he was regretting that he didn’t show his enthusiasm when the Black Paladin had told them he was coming with them instead of the Blade. Because right now, Keith didn’t look the least happy to be part of the mission. Lance was also glancing at the others; he had expected Hunk to throw in some jokes to lighten the moon but apparently the overall feeling of awkwardness was too strong even for him. He just stirred restlessly on his seat - and never said a word. As for Pidge, she didn’t even try looking at any of them. It was obvious that being in outer space again - the last time it ended in their fall - was pretty hard on her nerves.

Lance sighed.

So much for the team-bonding mission.

 

***

 

Finally, they landed on Saturn’s biggest moon, Titan. Without air to diffract sound, they only felt the vibrations of the landing itself and when the Lions dug their claws into the ground to anchor themselves.

“Shiro,” said Keith through the intercom, “we’re there.”

The voice of their former leader came out of their earpieces as they were all leaving their seat and heading for the back of their ship.

“Good. You have all the plans and Pidge knows what to do. Be careful and stay in contact.”

“Copy that.”

The huge mouths opened and the five Paladins exited their Lion, gathering in the center of the circle they had formed when they had landed. There, Keith explained the plan one last time to the team who knew it already but didn’t say anything.

“Pidge and Hunk, to the computers room. Allura will watch over you. Lance, you’re with me to patrol the rest of the compound.”

Everyone got their Bayard out, weapon ready and approached the Galran doors with caution. The compound was reported to have been abandoned after Sendak fell. But you could never be too careful - especially in wartime.

There were no guards at the entry. While Lance covered them, Keith and Pidge ran to the door where Pidge hacked into the control panel. The door opened with a smooth sound. The others Paladins left their hiding spot and joined them.

“According to the map” said Pidge once they were inside “the computer room is down and to the right.”

“OK” replied Keith, “hurry up. Lance, with me.”

They parted, Pidge and Hunk with Allura running to the main corridor, towards the elevators and Keith and Lance going to their left with the intention to check every floors and rooms. Keith lead the way but Lance was close behind him, his gun ready to open fire. At each curve, Lance would jump in the passageway and, as there was nobody waiting for them, would temporarily lower his gun and let Keith take the lead again. Same went for the rooms; Keith would open the door by giving a hard stroke with his sword and Lance would go in first. Their pattern was highly efficient and came from a long training. Thus, they moved through the floors rapidly.

Thirteen minutes after they got in, Pidge’s voice echoed inside their helmet.

“We’re in guys. I’m starting to run the analysis.”

“Tell us when you’re done” Keith replied “Allura, you saw anything?”

“Negative. Looked like they had left for good.”

“Well, keep your eye open anyway.”

“Sure.”

The two boys continued their patrol. The corridors looked all the same and the rooms weren’t that much different from one to another. Inside that one, their were boxes lying on the floor, non even organized. In that one, the boxes almost reached the ceiling. In that one-

“God! What’s that smell?!” shouted Lance.

Keith quickly closed the door.

“Don’t know. And won’t bother trying to find out.”

They stumbled across one of the rooms that gave access to the power control panels. Wires everywhere, pulsing with purple light. They avoided touching anything and left. Lance let his weapon fall down by his side and used his free hand to massage his shoulder - staying in combat position with his not-so-lighted gun was something he surely hadn’t miss during their long days spent in the hospital and thus his body hurt as hell.

They came to a dead end, with a flight of stairs leading to the upper floor. The last one - after that, they’d get back on the first one and start again until they’d reached the others (or met with the others if they’d be done by that time). Keith looked up at the wide stairs.

“You want help?” Lance blurted out without thinking.

Keith gave him a dark look and he immediately blushed. _Shit_ , he thought, _that was the wrong question_. Again. Damn, wasn’t that boy easy to understand (and deal with)! And now, with his pride at stake, Keith had to go first. He put his Bayard away and climbed the stairs up to the threshold. He stopped and pushed the door. When it resisted, he gave it a punch with his shoulder. The door opened and he entered the room. Lance climbed up right behind him.

Right into the trap too.

 

The room was pitch dark but, as soon as Lance came in, the lights were put on and they could clearly see the range of guns aimed for them.

The Galras opened fire.

Without thinking, Lance jumped in front of Keith, shielding him at the last second. However, the blasts were so numerous that it threw them backward and down the stairs. They hit the ground, one floor below. Lance groaned, trying to stay conscious. He saw his Bayard lying near him and Keith, not far away either. He rolled and picked up his weapons and immediately started shooting in the direction of the open door. He held his fire long enough to force their enemies to step back. As soon as they did so, he jumped to his feet and ran to Keith. He put his hand beneath his armpit and lifted him. Keith blinked and stumbled a little before falling into Lance’s step and running alongside him. They went to take cover behind a corner. The Galras were now going down the stairs, shooting at them - but Lance was shooting back.

“What’s happening?” shouted Allura through their earpieces. “Keith? Lance! Come in!”

“We’re here!” replied Keith while Lance tried to keep their enemies at a distance. “But we fell into a trap! Pidge, what’s your status with the data? We won’t last long so we need to get out of here as fast as possible!”

A sudden explosion on the opposition wall blew them away and made Pidge’s answer inaudible. Keith opened his mouth to ask her to repeat but Lance had grabbed his arm and was pulling him forward.

“Come on Keith! We need to find cover!”

They ran to the next staircase which lead to the second floor.

“Lance! The door!”

“Got it!”

Apparently, the Galras had their trap well planned: the massive doors that usually closed down the different sections of the compound in case of, well, intrusion, had all been unlocked by Pidge when they got in but now, it was clear they were locked up again. Lance, however, didn’t even slow down when he rose his snipe to his eyes and aimed at the control panel. The sharp shoot hit it perfectly and made it explode. The doors smoothly opened. The two Paladins sped up when suddenly:

“Lance, watch out!” screamed Keith.

The missile flew above their heads and hit the door’s edge. The boys nearly got caught in the following explosion. They both rose their arms to protect their faces and even managed to stand on their feet. Well, until the ceiling came down on them.

 

***

 

The dust was everywhere. In the air, covering his face, filling his lungs. Lance choked before looking around. The door had been blasted and the remains of the ceiling lay everywhere. He could hear shouts and footsteps at the other end of the corridor. Apparently, the Galras hadn’t planned for the ceiling to crashing on the ground. Good. That would buy them some time.

“Keith?”

He taped his helmet to reboot the visor that the explosion and what ensued had deactivated. He pushed away a part of the wall that was resting on his shoulder and rose up. His eyes actively searched for the red suit and when they couldn’t find it, he briefly panicked, his heart starting to beat faster. Thankfully, he soon spotted the half-breed on the other side of the passageway.

Lance rushed to his friend’s side and lifted the rubble that kept him prisoner.

“Keith” he called “Keith, buddy! We need to get out of here! Now!”

Keith moaned and rose on his elbow. Lance offered him his hand and after a second of hesitation - _Keith_ , Lance thought, _now is not the time for your bullshit_  - accepted it. But when Lance tried to take him along in his run, he collapsed on the floor and shook his head.

“Just go, Lance, I’ll catch you later.”

Lance rolled his eyes. The voices were getting closer now, meaning the Galras would be there in no time.

“No, Keith. I’m not gonna leave you. Come on, on your feet, I got ya buddy!”

Like before, he tried to put his hand under his armpit but the Black Paladin shoved him away.

“Leave me here I said! You have to get the others out!”

“And you too! Keith, for quiznak’s sake, let me just-”

“Lance, I can’t walk!”

They fell silent. Lance slowly looked down at Keith’s legs. Now, he could notice the weird angle of his left knee. And it was probably worse than it looked, given that Keith’s bones were as breakable as a twig. Lance took a deep breath.

“Okay. Let me just.”

He looked around. He didn’t have much time. For a second, he thought about dragging Keith but he quickly dismissed the idea: too slow. He started gathering the rubble, pilling them up.

“Keith is down” he announced through the intercom. “We need help, meet us on the second floor, section C.”

“On our way!” replied Allura.

The finished barricade barred the whole corridor. However, it wasn’t one meter high except for one spot. Lance dragged Keith beneath that higher part.

“What the fuck are you doing?” asked the Black Paladin.

Lance pull his Bayard out and laid down his gun on the edge of a piece of rubble. He adjusted his aim so to have direct view on where the Galra would arrive.

“Saving your ass, buddy” he answered.

“Lance-”

Lance turned away for one second only but he looked firmly into Keith’s eyes.

“I’m not gonna leave you Keith. Never.”

And then he started shooting at the Galras.


End file.
